Aldi should preserve Bottom Dollar jobs, Sen. Bob Casey urges

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Bottom Dollar opened this store in 2012 on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem -- one of nine that the discount food retailer, which is being acquired by Aldi, operates in the Lehigh Valley.

(Express-Times Photo | Matt Smith)

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey on Monday urged Aldi to preserve 1,600 Pennsylvania jobs when the supermarket retailer acquires Bottom Dollar Grocery Stores at year's end.

In a letter to Aldi, Casey, D-Pa., urged the retailer to review the acquisition and consider that this is the holiday season.

Bottom Dollar has 46 stores in Pennsylvania, including nine in the Lehigh Valley, and more than 1,600 jobs could be lost when the takeover is complete, Casey said.

Aldi has yet to announce the fate of Bottom Dollar stores or whether any laid off employees would be eligible for rehire. Casey urged Aldi to keep Bottom Dollar Stores in Pennsylvania open, thereby protecting those jobs.

"I have serious concerns about how this recent acquisition would affect the employees of the Bottom Dollar grocery stores," Casey wrote. "I encourage you to give serious consideration to any option that will protect the over 1,600 jobs at stake and preserve Bottom Dollar's current locations in the Commonwealth.

"I look forward to any opportunity to work with you to develop these options, and any federal programs that may be relevant."

Casey's office said the letter was sent to Aldi President Jason Hart in Batavia, Illinois.

Aldi officials previously said the discount food store chain will announce its plans for previous Bottom Dollar stores once the transaction is closed in the first quarter of 2015.

Aldi spokeswoman Julie Ketay on Monday said it's premature to share any plans until the acquisition is complete.

She said Aldi encourages Bottom Dollar Food employees to consider applying for open store associate positions at Aldi stores. Additionally, she said, applications are being accepted for positions at Aldi division warehouses at 2700 Saucon Valley Road in Upper Saucon Township and at 6000 N. Noah Drive in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania.

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